‘Simpsons’ creator reveals the location of Springfield

One of the biggest mysteries in television history is where exactly the “The Simpsons” takes place. The fictional town of Springfield is one of the most common city names, and it appears in 22 states in the U.S.

But where exactly does the Simpson family live?

Twenty-five years after the cartoon’s debut, creator Matt Groening is finally ready to reveal the location. Groening tells Smithsonian magazine:

Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon. The only reason is that when I was a kid, the TV show ‘Father Knows Best’ took place in the town of Springfield, and I was thrilled because I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown. When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name. I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, ‘This will be cool; everyone will think it’s their Springfield.’ And they do.

Groening also said that the characters are named after his family: Homer, Margaret, Lisa and Maggie are the actual names of his parents and sisters. But Groening said that he decided to change the mischievous little boy’s name to Bart instead of Matt because he thought it would go over better in a pitch meeting.